5 ms·

Old cities in North America have cores that were created pre-automobile. They were built on "human/horse scale" like cities in Europe. New cities in the mid

Old cities in North America have cores that were created pre-automobile. They were built on "human/horse scale" like cities in Europe. New cities in the mid west are spread out over wide distances assuming automobile transportation. Denver and the surrounding suburbs come to mind and Calgary in Canada as well.

occz 5y ago
It's not really that these cities were built for the car, moreso that they were bulldozed in order to over-accomodate the car.
- retrac 5y ago
  Sometimes in the inner cores, yes. But many North American cities are new. Built mostly post-war. For example, Calgary is a city of ~1.2 million now. In 1946 it was ~100,000. More than 90% of the city was built in the post-car era, and the main city planning stage (in the 50s and 60s during the population explosion) was of course, heavily car-centric. That's the legacy we're still living out, with similar stories in cities across North America.
milkytron 5y ago
> Denver and the surrounding suburbs... I live in a developing "15 minute city" that encompasses a border with Denver and one of its neighboring cities. Development has been... okay I guess. We have a light rail stop that goes downtown to Union Station and to all the main stadiums, and bike trail that runs alongside it. That's pretty much it. The area has been zoned for everything a 15 minute city might need, but developers have been reluctant to build anything beyond 5+1 apartment buildings and small townhome developments. It's hardly a 15 minute city and both municipalities (Denver and the other) that have a stake in the development don't seem to care much about the area. We are still fully car dependent for basic errands, and now that they are enforcing parking laws for blocking hydrants, alleys, etc, people are up in arms.

5 ms·

Old cities in North America have cores that were created pre-automobile. They were built on "human/horse scale" like cities in Europe. New cities in the mid

by lebuffon 5y ago

occz 5y ago
It's not really that these cities were built for the car, moreso that they were bulldozed in order to over-accomodate the car.
- retrac 5y ago
  Sometimes in the inner cores, yes. But many North American cities are new. Built mostly post-war. For example, Calgary is a city of ~1.2 million now. In 1946 it was ~100,000. More than 90% of the city was built in the post-car era, and the main city planning stage (in the 50s and 60s during the population explosion) was of course, heavily car-centric. That's the legacy we're still living out, with similar stories in cities across North America.
milkytron 5y ago
> Denver and the surrounding suburbs... I live in a developing "15 minute city" that encompasses a border with Denver and one of its neighboring cities. Development has been... okay I guess. We have a light rail stop that goes downtown to Union Station and to all the main stadiums, and bike trail that runs alongside it. That's pretty much it. The area has been zoned for everything a 15 minute city might need, but developers have been reluctant to build anything beyond 5+1 apartment buildings and small townhome developments. It's hardly a 15 minute city and both municipalities (Denver and the other) that have a stake in the development don't seem to care much about the area. We are still fully car dependent for basic errands, and now that they are enforcing parking laws for blocking hydrants, alleys, etc, people are up in arms.